


There is Only Power

by HecatesKiss



Series: Eavesdropping Universe [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Addiction, Dark Lord Harry, Dark!Harry, HP: EWE, M/M, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-03 12:57:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HecatesKiss/pseuds/HecatesKiss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus Snape makes a request of the Dark Lord Potter</p>
            </blockquote>





	There is Only Power

**Author's Note:**

> Not J.K. Rowling. Beta'd by [ vernie_klein](http://archiveofourown.org/users/vernie_klein). Not making money.
> 
> Part of the Eavesdropping Universe.

Harry landed easily and used a scrap of his power to keep his Phalanx on their feet on landing. He let his head swivel as every other person was doing the same. Just because they were in home territory was not a reason to be lax.

Harry reached out and touched the wards. They resounded under his attention, singing back a specific magical tone that Harry had buried in the warding. It made him smile slightly. It was his personal ‘all is well’ chime. Of course, the fact that it made him think of Draco was also a side benefit.

Harry reached up and lowered his hood. His Phalanx followed suit a moment later. Harry nodded to Fred and George and let a smirk curve his lips as he met Neville’s eyes. He sighed slightly when Draco stepped forward and gathered his Lord in a hug. Harry tipped his face into Draco’s neck, letting the other man draw what comfort he could from the embrace. He allowed Draco’s hands to trace over his body, assuring himself that Harry was safe.

“My Lord? Forgive us. We _should_ have expected…” Neville started, but Harry held up his hand and shook his head slightly.

“Any time we appear in public as a clear group, I know I am at risk of attack. Some people just feel that anyone bearing the title _Dark Lord_  should be killed. I know mercy is required. No one wants another war. I will leave them alone, so long as they leave me and mine alone.” As Harry spoke, he lifted a hand and trailed it across Draco’s cheek and then slid it into the blond’s hair.

His fingers closed tightly into the softness and he pressed his lips to those of his lover. He let his eyes close as he wrapped himself and Draco both into tight shields, letting the kiss hum between them. His attention was on Draco, so he trusted shields and his Phalanx to keep him safe, even at home. When he broke the kiss he smirked slightly at the glazed look in the younger Malfoy’s eyes. It made his cock twitch, but he firmly shoved the thought of later  away.  He had potential followers to mark.

“Change out of the Phalanx robes, my fierce one. I want you in your typical plain robes today. I only need two guards while in my home. I want you visible.” Harry said quietly as he forced himself to step away and take a steadying breath.

“As my lord commands.” Draco purred quietly, dipping his head as propriety dictated. Harry firmly ignored his body’s response to that tone of voice from his lover. He knew his eyes had darkened when Fred and George both shifted their stances and pointedly ignored the interplay going on between the pair.

Harry drew in a slow breath and spun on his heel, apparating from the room he had landed in and simply willing himself to his bedroom. He landed easily and let his eyes rake over the fresh dark gray sheets. His breathing hitched as his memory supplied Draco, hips bucking under his ministrations, head thrown back, crying out his name…

Harry swore softly and stalked into the bath. He banished his robes with a flick of his hand, yew wand slapping into his palm as he wrenched on the water to full cold and stepped firmly under the icy spray. His breathing hitched again, this time for the sheer stupidity of stepping under arctic cold water to handle the problem when he could have had Draco… Harry groaned and shook his head.

The quick cold shower did its job. He stepped out, flicked a drying charm across his skin and hair, snorting slightly when his mirror made a snarky comment about having seen better hair on a porcupine. Harry restrained himself from hexing the mirror and returned to the bedroom proper.

Harry pulled on boxers and black trousers, then shrugged into a gold silk shirt. He shrugged into a wine red formal robe with gold edging. He stepped easily into the black dragon hide boots and stowed his wand in the correct pocket before he took a deep breath. He apparated into his formal receiving room and settled easily onto the gold and black chair that sat alone on the dais.

Harry merely smirked when two of his Phalanx straightened abruptly at the door. An otter patronus shooting off to alert someone else amused him. He typically did not apparate around his own home, preferring not to exhibit the insane amount of power he’d received on defeating Tom Riddle. However; he knew he needed to bleed off some of his reserves. He could feel it itching under his skin.

“Hermione?” Harry called softly, and the person in green and gold on the left side of the double doors stepped forward without genuflection. Harry smiled. Only the Phalanx could get away without showing some small sign of respect, and only Hermione of all of them stepped forward still first as his friend, not as his follower. She did not drop the concealing hood as she mounted the stairs and then easily settled onto the top step, turning so that she could face Harry.

“What do you need, Harry?”

“Power is scraping under my skin. I’m worried I’ll hurt some of these kids.”

“You managed just fine with Luna, Neville, the Patil Twins and myself, right after the battle, Harry.”

“I was also bleeding power actively into the air and apparating around the castle. I side alonged three other people earlier but its like a low level shock rippling under my skin still.”

“Well, how do you usually handle it?”

“Flying or… well…” Harry merely thunked his head against the black rising phoenix that formed the back of his chair as he trailed off. Hermione merely gave him a sympathetic smile and shook her head.

“Or, you are running the Phalanx ragged trying to keep up with you as you run yourself to exhaustion. Do you need me to get something from the Professor?” Hermione asked, and even though Harry could not see her face, he knew she would be wearing a worried frown.

“No need for that, Hermione. My Lord, I feared you would be needing this sooner, rather than later.” Severus said quietly as he slipped into the room through a side door and passed over a deep purple potion. Harry popped open the vial and carefully sniffed at it. It smelled like muggle grape cough syrup. He lifted an eyebrow in inquiry, he remembered this one. His body responded again and he muttered a swear word. He capped it and slipped it into his robe pocket with a nod of thanks.

“Severus, we will be doing markings shortly. I did not expect you to observe these, if you do not wish.”

“If my Lord requires my presence, he has it.” Severus said quietly, offering a full bow, eyes bleak as he rose from the bow.

“Severus? The only things I require of you are the occasional potions. Otherwise, your life is yours to live as you see fit.” Harry said quietly, easily getting to his feet. He sighed softly as the former bane of his Hogwarts existence sank to his knees and bowed his head.

Harry closed his eyes and focused his magic. He had poured his magic down the link that existed between himself and the Dark Phoenix Mark when Snape was dying, and had used even more to remove the venom from the man’s body. The man lived because he had willed it so.

Harry took a careful step forward, and looked up to the door, where the right side guard stood, head bowed. Harry watched as the man felt his mark heat. Harry gave a jerk of his head and the man bowed slightly then withdrew from the room. Harry flicked his hand and Hermione also rose to her feet and vacated the room as well.

Harry easily wordlessly and wandlessly raised privacy shields and a simple notice-me-not charm. He reached out and gently placed a hand in the dark hair, running soothing fingers through it. He felt the Potions Master’s breathing hitch alarmingly, but he kept running his hand soothingly through the dark hair.

“What do you need of me, Severus Snape, my Phoenix?” Harry asked, sending a soft trickle of power out to wash carefully through the man. He smiled slightly when Snape’s breathing hitched again and he moaned under the lash of power.

“This… please.” The dark man pleaded, voice breaking as Harry sent another tendril of power rolling through the ex Head of Slytherin House.

“You need to directly feel my power, my attention on you is not enough?” Harry asked, shocked at the thought.

“My Lord Potter, it is a power addiction. Once formed, they are unbreakable.” Lucius Malfoy said softly and Harry wheeled, wand slapping into his hand as he turned. The elder Malfoy was already on his knees, head bowed and shivering.

“You as well?” Harry inquired, green eyes troubled by the thought.

“No, my Lord. However; Severus was either in the presence of the -- Tom Riddle, or Dumbledore for more than twenty years. His system is accustomed to the wash of power. If you were to completely withdraw your attention from him, it more than likely would kill him.” Lucius said softly, flinching as power crackled audibly into life around the younger wizard.

“Lucius, anything said or done here will not  pass your lips, is that clear?”

“As my Lord commands.” Lucius murmured, carefully putting his head to the floor and then going still.

“Rise Lucius, tell the others I need ten minutes, and kindly get out.” Harry snarled. The older Malfoy flinched, nodded quickly, and withdrew.

“Severus? Did Dumbledore make you beg for scraps of power to feed this?” Harry asked quietly, turning back to the man who was shaking and twitching, yet still remaining on his knees, head bowed.

“Yes, my Lord. He… he … said it was… disgraceful. Something…. that…” Severus’ voice hitched and Harry watched in numb disbelief as the man he would have sworn was the bravest man he knew slid fully prone before him. Harry spat out a low oath and watched the man before him flinch.

“I will do whatever you ask, my Lord. Whatever you command. I will even beg you if you wish it.”

“Clinically, how bad is this?”

“I can ignore the need much of the time. Brewing keeps my mind off it. Reading subdues it somewhat. However; I am in crisis, my Lord. If a wizard with an addiction such as mine is not fed scraps of power, as you put it, it will kill him.”

“Riddle addicted you, didn’t he?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“And Dumbledore only fed you the bare minimum to keep you fuctioning for him. Riddle did the same, I would suspect.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“You really are a vampire, of sorts. Never imagined those rumors would be true.” Harry muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly. He sank back into his chair and reached out with a carefully controlled bit of his power and let it ripple through his Phoenix. Severus gasped and then bit down on his lip. Harry saw the man’s eyelids flutter and he shook his head in bemusement. He slowly built the level of power that Severus was experiencing. He sighed in pleasure as he found an outlet for his own itching need.

“Are there any others with this addiction in my ranks that have not come forward?” Harry asked, cutting off the feed of power to receive a coherent answer.

“No… no, my Lord. It was a … way to bind me…. to the Headmaster or… Riddle.” Severus said as he sucked in shuddering breaths, his speech slowly settling into normal patterns.

“Very well.” Harry said before he focused a burst of power on the man that lay prone at his feet. He flung up a silencing barrier when Severus Snape bit down on his hand to stifle a scream. He shook his head again and split his attention. He poured pure power into his hands and then willed for a stone figurine to form in his hands.

An emerald green stone serpent, coiled to strike appeared in his hands. He poured more power into it, bleeding some of his reserves into the creation of the item that fit comfortably into his palm. It blazed briefly with his power, and then the eyes solidified into pulsing points of green light. He smiled and cut the power he was feeding into his Phoenix, sighing slightly as he realized the itching feeling was no longer raking across his skin.

“Severus?”

“Yes, my Lord?” The man gasped out, carefully lifting himself to his knees.

Harry stood and then took the man’s hand, carefully placing the stone snake into it. He watched Severus’ dark eyes slide closed in relief. “I believe the eyes will dim as the power is drained off. If the eyes go dark, bring the serpent to me and I will recharge it. I’m hoping that continual contact with my power will help you, without needing constant interaction, since that never seems to help either of our tempers.” Harry said quietly and the dark man nodded and clutched the seeming carving to his chest.

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“You have done all that I asked, without asking anything of me, even when you were in need, Severus. Mine, Severus. That means you do not keep something that could have killed you  from me!” Harry snarled softly, shaking his head slightly in exasperation.

“Yes, my Lord. Thank you, my Lord.” The Potions Master remained on his knees until Harry lifted a hand, allowing him to rise. Harry waited until the man was part way to the door before he called his name again. The Potions Master turned, clutching the snake to his chest.

“If you can find the time between experiments, another batch of … I believe Draco called it Formulation Twenty Five… would be welcome. And send them back in, Draco and Lucius first.”

“Did that formulation have a faint apple flavor?” Severus asked and Harry nodded, face schooled neutral.

As my Lord requests.” Severus said quietly, bowing before he slipped from the room.

 

* * *

Harry sat with Draco to his right and Lucius standing at his left. He knew just from the way the guards at the door stood that it was the twins. He found Hermione in simple black robes in the third row and nodded slightly when she lifted an eyebrow in enquiry. He’d speak with her once the Markings were done.

Astoria Greengrass knelt at his feet, left arm presented. Harry flicked through her mind gently, having caught the fondness for the girl from both Draco and Lucius. He found nothing that could or would harm him or the Dark Phoenix so he lowered his wand to her arm and whispered the spell in parseltongue.

The Dark Phoenix bloomed sharply under his wand. He focused on the girl until the mark blazed gold. He caught her gently as she wavered. He then waited for a moment while she got herself stable, he then waved for her to rise. She was the last of a dozen.

Harry lifted his head when he noticed Severus slip into the very back of the room, black hood lifted and face obscured in the same manner as his Phalanx. Only the most trusted even knew Severus still lived. The entire Dark Phoenix knew he had a Potions Master at his call, but no one outside of the Phalanx, Lucius, Draco, and Madam Carrow, the Healer, knew who he was. The world thought the man dead, and everyone who knew otherwise prefered to keep it that way. Harry did, however; expect to have the Headmistress of Hogwarts on his doorstep at some point in the near future, demanding to speak with his Potions Master.

“Welcome my Phoenix. We have welcomed a dozen new to the ranks. They have become your brothers and sisters, your allies, and my own. I will care and guard you the way I have those who have come before. If I give you a task, you will perform it. However; I never expect a task to be completed entirely alone. The older Phoenix will stand as mentors as needed to those of you new to the ranks.” Harry let his eyes skim easily over the newest recruits, still wearing black Hogwarts robes.

“I am your Lord. Most Phoenix are in the habit of addressing me as such. I don’t require the full title, a simple, ‘My Lord’ will do. Inside the manor you are all equal to one another. The only exceptions to that rule are the Phalanx and The Professor, our Potions Master. They will be granted your respect. You are all dismissed, save for The Professor, Hermione, Lucius, Draco, and Madam Carrow.”

Harry remained in his seat as he watched everyone file out, the called for parties remaining where they stood, still islands in an otherwise moving black sea. Harry gestured and the twins withdrew as well behind the last black robed person.

 

* * *

Harry lifted barriers on the doors, sealing them shut with his power. He watched Severus shudder in the backwash and grimaced. He conjured chairs to either side of him and a trio of chairs in front of him. He waved his trusted to their seats and waited for Severus to select his seat and lower his hood.

“What is discussed here does not go beyond this group. Is. That. Clear?”

“Yes, my Lord.” The five responded, heads dipping in respect for the tone of voice if nothing else.

“Severus, I assume that Madam Carrow knows?”

“No, my Lord.” Severus denied, eyes fixed on his clenched hands. Harry sighed.

“I need this explained to me in detail, Severus. And yes, Hermione, you may take notes.” Harry said, sitting forward, attention fixed on Severus, but eyes on the ground.

“Potter! You cannot be _serious_!” Severus snarled, and Harry huffed out a laugh. He’d been waiting for that defensive outrage for two years.

“Perhaps I should feed you more often, your temper seems to be improving.” Harry said dryly, lips quirking in a smile. He lifted his head and watched Severus go gray as sheer terror swam through his eyes.

Harry merely reached down the link that connected him to Severus Snape and slowly started dripping power into the man. He shook his head when the Potions Master opened his mouth to apologize. He then turned the bulk of his attention to the Healer.

“Madam Carrow, what do you know about Power Addiction?”

“It is also sometimes referred to as energy vampirism. I also know that it could be a death sentence for the one addicted if he or she cannot find a stronger wizard or witch to soothe it. Eventually his or her body would start to eat at his or her own magic. Without magic, a person does not survive long, my Lord.”

“How long have you known a person to survive without such a link?”

“A few months at most.” The Healer said, voice steady but face pale.

“Harry, what do you mean Power Addiction?”

“Imagine a person pushing raw magical power into you, Ms. Granger and slowly increasing the amount over time, so that you start to feel weak when not around the person, because your body has become used to a higher power level than it can naturally produce.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Hermione said with a shrug.

“If it is done continually, Ms. Granger, the person under its effect becomes addicted. Once addicted there is no cure. The person must have an extraneous source to survive. They cannot lose that source, or it will kill them. Most addicted wizards or witches die when the person that addicted them do.” Madam Carrow said, lecturing tone on and active in full.

“But… oh god. Harry? Please tell me I’m wrong….” Hermione begged, eyes jumping between Snape and Harry, who was deliberately not looking at the Potions Master.

“No. As usual, Ms. Granger, you are putting the facts together correctly. Riddle addicted me, then the Headmaster kept me just stable enough to serve as his spy. I still provide a use to our Lord, so he has granted me my life.” Severus said quietly.

Harry lifted a hand to forestall any further questions. He fixed his attention on the elder Malfoy and lifted an eyebrow, silently demanding an explanation as to how he had known.

“I would allow Severus small amounts of my power when he started to feel truly desperate. I couldn’t supply anywhere near what Riddle, Dumbledore or yourself can, my Lord. But it was enough to keep him stable.” Lucius said quietly, dipping his head. Harry huffed out a sigh but nodded.

“How did you survive the fall of Riddle?” The gray haired Healer asked, dark brown eyes soft with compassion.

“Our Lord here used enough power keeping me alive that some of the excess sank into the Mark and has been keeping me stable enough to function for two years. That faded recently. I reached crisis point today, the way I used to with the Headmaster. I had little choice but to request aid.” Severus said quietly as he tipped his head back and closed his eyes, forcing his breathing steady as his Lord increased the flow of power slightly.

“You are pushing power into him, aren’t you, Harry?” Hermione questioned. Harry merely nodded.

“I’m feeding it in through the Mark. I never understood why I could always find Severus amongst everyone else. I always just assumed it was because I latched onto him initially as his life was fading and that made the bond twice as strong.”

“That would be part of it. However; you can always find Draco whenever you go looking too.” Hermione reminded him.

“The protections I set before the last battle still exist between us. I can follow that line if I ever need to. However; right after I changed all the marks, I actually had to go through Lucius to separate out Draco. Even with the protections, Draco got lost in the sheer number of people.” Harry said with a slight shake of his head.

“So, the Professor actually requires your power to live?” Draco asked quietly, verbally making his presence known. Harry merely nodded, firmly keeping his hands to himself because Carrow was in the room. He looked to his left, fixing his gaze on Lucius, who had obviously known about Severus’ issues, but had not told.

“How frequently did the Headmaster let you feed?” Harry asked, mentally treating the issue like a vampire’s necessary feeding schedule.

“Once every two months he would call me into the office for that reason alone, my Lord.” Severus said and Harry watched the Healer flinch and appear sick.

“I would conclude that was barely often enough to keep him alive, madam?”

“Yes, my Lord. Not much is known about such an exchange aside from the fact that the donor more or less can demand nearly anything of an addicted witch or wizard, and they will do it to survive.” The Healer said, face a mask of distaste.

“Severus?” Harry asked, slowly pulling back on the power he was feeding into the other man. He smiled slightly at the restraint his Potions Master showed when he merely shuddered instead of crying out as the power faded out completely.

“What would you have of me, my Lord?” Severus asked, drawing a shaking breath, prepared to do anything to continue to feel the careful wash of power return.

“Legilimens.” Harry whispered, speaking the spell aloud to give the Potions Master a second to comprehend what was about to happen. Then he slid into the man’s mind. He carefully chose which memory strands to tug on, having absorbed Riddle’s skill in the art along with his powers.

Harry found the correct strand after a moment’s search and let the memories skim across his sight, seeing a repeat of Severus and Riddle in intimate situations. He let the strand drop and carefully retreated, settling back into his own skin with a single blink of killing curse green eyes.

“He was a sadistic bastard. It also explains your reactions to my power. I would never demand that of you, Professor. Nothing from our previous agreements change. The only requirement I am placing on you are two weekly meetings. One with myself, another a quick check up with the Madam here. I don’t care if it’s a quick scan while you are dropping off the potions she requires you to brew, but you will have it done.” Severus paled and inclined his head in acquiescence.  Harry continued, attention moving to the Healer, “And madam? You will report any change in his health to me at once. I don’t care if I’m in the middle of a damn war council, the Professor’s health matters to me.”

“As my Lord commands.” The Healer said, head dipping in acknowledgement of the command.

“Hermione? I want you to research this. I want to know how it happens. Just so I can keep myself from accidentally doing it.” Harry said, Hermione nodded and got to her feet, recognizing a dismissal from long years of friendship.

“Severus, you may either remain here or go. Madam, I had a question for you. With the way my power levels are constantly rising, with me bleeding energy directly into the air much of the time, can I focus some of that into the Professor without it doing either of us harm?”

“I would recommend a low level stream, if the Professor has been as power starved as has been suggested, overwhelming him could kill him as easily as nothing at all.” The woman said as she brushed her graying braid over her shoulder and stood. She bowed slightly, and at Harry’s flick of dismissal withdrew.

Once the door closed behind the woman and he’d lifted barriers again he slowly started a trickle of power through the mark into Severus. He waited for the quiet sigh and then held the power at that level. Severus remained in the seat and let his shoulders slump. Harry then looked over to Draco.

“My fierce one?” Harry inquired softly, and his eyebrow rose when Draco drew a shaky breath and bowed his head but remained in his seat. Harry got to his feet, frowned slightly and walked over to Draco. He lifted the other man’s chin with a gentle hand and gazed down into eyes that were the color of storm clouds.

Harry blinked. He knew that look, and had never liked it. Draco was upset about something. He extended his right hand and tipped his head to the side. Draco stood and placed his hand in Harry’s, with an almost perfunctory “My Lord.”

Harry yanked him into his embrace and spun on his heel, dropping the wards he had raised on the doors even as he apparated himself and Draco away.


End file.
